The meeting was the outgrowth of last year's agreement to recognize one another by the state's grand lodges of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, whose members are white, and the Free and Accepted Masons, whose members are black.

Friday night's event took place at the Orient Lodge No. 51 AF&AM, 2300 S.W. 30th. Masons from the Orient Lodge were hosts to the members of the Euclid Lodge No. 2 F&AM and the Mount Moriah Lodge No. 5 F&AM.

The event began with a dinner, followed by an Orient Lodge meeting. Officials estimated the attendance at about 50.

"I'm glad we can come together in unity, to work together," said Martin J. Williams, worshipful master of the Euclid Lodge. "I hope this won't be the last time we come together. It's truly a blessing to be able to recognize each other as brethren.

"I think this is something that should have been done a long time ago, but God works in mysterious ways," he added. "It fills my heart with joy to be part of this historical event."

Martin Hazen, past master of the Orient Lodge, said Kansas is one of about 30 states in which black and white Masons officially recognize each other. He added that Kansas was among the southern-most states in which this has occurred.

Each state has its own Masonic jurisdiction and is responsible for its own rules and regulations.

Previous meetings of black and white Masons in Kansas have occurred recently in cities such as Junction City, Lawrence, Manhattan and Wichita.

Both the AF&AM and the F&AM grand lodges will continue to exist independent of each other, with the white and black lodges retaining their own distinctive qualities. However, AF&AM and F&AM members now will be allowed to visit each other's lodges.

"We're not merging," Hazen said, "but we are recognizing each other officially."

John J. Vander Velde, master of the Orient Lodge, said members of the AF&AM and F&AM lodges can now recognize each other as "brethren for the purposes of visitation and fraternal relations."

Although black and white Masons have met together on an informal basis in the past, Friday night's gathering was a "very historical occasion," Vander Velde said.

"It exemplifies one of the basic tenets of Free Masonry," he said, "which is brotherly love and tolerance."

Vander Velde described the Masons as "the largest and oldest fraternity in the world devoted to charitable purposes."

Darnell Perkins, worshipful master of the Mount Moriah lodge, credited the work that was done during the past couple of years at the grand-lodge level of the two state Masonic organizations for helping make Friday night's event become a reality.

He said there still may be resistance among some Masons regarding the mutual recognition of the AF&AM and F&AM lodges. However, he said, the grand lodges had the final say in approving the policy of official visitation between black and white Masons.

"There are some differences," he said, "but brotherhood is all the same."

Perkins said Friday night's meeting was "the greatest thing" he had experienced since he had been in the Masons. It was about respect, he said.

"I come from a family of Masons," Perkins said, "and this is probably the biggest thing I've ever witnessed."

Plans are in the works for other meetings at which local black and white Masons will come together.

In August, the Euclid Lodge will invite Masons from the Orient Lodge and other area lodges to its annual Master Masons event at Lake Shawnee.